The Philadelphia Zoo just welcomed a new generation of slow-moving royalty — and gave them the red carpet treatment.
Sixteen critically endangered western Santa Cruz tortoises made their public debut Wednesday in a rare celebration that drew smiles and admiration from staff and visitors alike.
The tiny hatchlings, born to a pair of centenarian parents, are being hailed as a major win for the species’ survival, according to the Associated Press.
Animal care specialists proudly showed off the hatchlings on a special pathway next to the zoo’s tortoise habitat. The young tortoises, still small but thriving, are “eating well and growing,” according to zoo officials.
The parents, lovingly referred to as Mommy and Abrazzo, are estimated to both be around 100 years old. Mommy has been a longtime resident — she arrived at the zoo in 1932 but never had offspring until Abrazzo joined her nearly five years ago from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina.
The result? A full-blown tortoise baby boom.
“Now this animal, who’s been in Philadelphia since 1932, will be represented here for, hopefully, another 100 years because her offspring are now part of our collection,” said Lauren Augustine, the zoo’s director of herpetology.
The hatchings occurred in waves. Four females that arrived in early spring were named after characters from The Golden Girls. Three males hatched in April, followed by a second clutch that brought three more females in June and six males later this summer.
The babies won’t be moving fast — literally or logistically. They’re expected to remain at the Philadelphia Zoo for at least a year before being placed in other facilities next fall.
These tortoises are part of an elite group. Western Santa Cruz tortoises are among 13 living tortoise species native to the Galápagos Islands, a Pacific archipelago off the coast of Ecuador. As the largest species of tortoise, they’re believed to live up to 200 years, making the new arrivals the start of what could be a two-century-long legacy.
The zoo is also offering the public a chance to name one male hatchling, pending zoo approval. The rest already have names: Zee, James, Colette, Soledad, Isabelle, Roger, Fausto, Caldero, Lee, Marigold Puddlefoot, and Kelpy. Staff distinguish them using nontoxic nail polish in various colors.
Meanwhile, Mommy and Abrazzo hold the title of Philadelphia Zoo’s oldest inhabitants and are considered genetically invaluable to global conservation efforts.
Elsewhere, the tortoise baby boom continues: At Zoo Miami, a 135-year-old Galápagos tortoise named Goliath became a father for the first time in June.
And in Philly, two other giants — Aldabra tortoises Wilma and Betty — round out the zoo’s shell-shocking lineup.
The new hatchlings are more than just adorable — they’re living symbols of conservation in action, and if all goes well, their journey is only just beginning.
